Fires destroy lives, homes, memories and property each year, costing millions of dollars in damages. Conventional nozzles used in firefighting tools require a high-pressure water source and copious amounts of water. Furthermore, the high pressure of water used in these nozzles often causes extensive structural and water damage to remaining property and possessions. Furthermore, these high-pressure nozzles often create a back draft during the course of use.
As a means of circumventing the damaging effect of high-pressure water nozzles, mist-generating nozzles have been used as an alternative means to fight fires.
Conventional mist nozzles are made of stainless steel, and are often used in grocery stores to spray cold water mist over fresh vegetables. However, these are quite expensive. Other conventional mist nozzles include nozzles used for oil furnaces. However, these rust quickly when used with water. The mist nozzles used in the present invention are relatively inexpensive, made of milled pure brass (so as to prevent the onset of rust), and are quite rugged and durable. The mist head of the present invention can withstand high temperatures caused by fires, without sustaining any damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,740 discloses a mist generating nozzle that has a cylindrical bearing member in which a plurality of distribution slots are formed. A cylindrical sleeve member is concentrically disposed about the bearing member, with an annular chamber defined therebetween. The sleeve member has a plurality of orifices communicating with the annular chamber and which extend transversely with respect to the radius of the sleeve member for imparting rotational motion to the sleeve member in response to the discharge of water through the orifices. The centrifugal force acting on the water discharged through the orifices particulates the water droplets into a fine mist or fog, in a substantially spiral pattern around the nozzle. This particular design requires a high-pressure water input, and releases water at a high pressure rate of up to 100 gallons per minute (gpm). Therefore, a relatively high volume of water is consumed, while damage from high-pressure output still occurs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,894 discloses a firefighting nozzle forming a generally sphere-like water spray pattern. The nozzle includes a coupler for coupling the nozzle to a water delivery hose. The nozzle also includes a plurality of rings for forming a spray-like pattern.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,801 discloses a fire extinguisher that has an elongated manifold for discharging fire in a chimney. The extinguisher is surrounded by a protective cage. The extinguisher comprises a bore, which is connected externally to a standard water supply line. The bore connects internally to a series of lateral channels, each of which connects to a small mist nozzle. The manifold has a pointed end, which penetrates ignited creosote at the base of chimney.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,716 discloses a fog-producing firefighting tool that has a nozzle which includes a plurality of apertures oriented so that when pressurized fluid flows through each aperture, the liquid impacts at an angle of 90 degrees with another stream of liquid to atomize the liquid and create the fog. Moreover, the firefighting tool consists of a plurality of members that are coupled with locking devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,909 discloses a portable fire extinguishing nozzle arrangement that has a nozzle head provided with fire extinguishing nozzles that may be connected to a supply pipe. A plurality of the nozzles are mutually spaced apart at the front side of the nozzle head. The head contains valve combinations which allow for the nozzles to be selectively supplied with fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,136 discloses a fire-fighting tool that incorporates a twist-lock mechanism whereby various nozzles can be interchanged. The fluid aperture angles can be configured to produce a mist in various directions. A key feature is the water streams that exit through the apertures, impinge on other streams emanating from other apertures.
As noted, many of the prior art devices are complex, requiring a plurality of parts, either within the head, or as part of the overall assembly. Additionally, many of these prior art devices require water output from the mist nozzles to intersect, and thus, form water droplets.
There is a need for a simple, durable fire extinguishing tool that uses relatively inexpensive, durable, low-pressure mist nozzles, and can operate on low-pressure water input. The low-pressure input results in a relatively low volume of consumption, while the low-pressure output minimizes water and property damage that occurs when conventional high-pressure hoses are used. The firefighting tools should be durable, and should withstand the high temperatures associated with fires. In addition, to minimize the complexity of design, the mist nozzles used in the tool should be configured in a simple manner that does not require the emerging streams to intersect with each other.